Bandage



Dec. 25, 1951 BANDAGE Filed June 17. 1949 R mm E ,a E Y Y reis- TTORNE'K Patented Dec. 25, 1951 UNTED STATES lPATENT OFFICE BANDAGE Edna L. Dub, Fall River, Mass. Application June 17, 1949, Serial No. 99,826

My invention relates to improvements in band-i ages and method of waterproofing the same, and

although it has particular reference to surgical 2 claims. (ci. 12s-287) bandages including top dressings, etc., diapers,'

pads and catamenial bandages come within my inventive concept.

The invention nds a particular eld of utility` in connection with bandages or the like having articial cotton llers although in nowise limited thereto. Artificial cottonV has been a rival ofA For instance, articial cotton has a higher ab-v sorptive capacity than natural cotton, is just about as light, and can be more readily purifiedl and maintained in a sterile condition. Further-H more, it is easier to handle than natural cotton as it comes in thin sheets, usually stacked into a thick pad. Thus, a bunch of sheets for a ller of desired thickness can be conveniently removed from the stack or pad and then readily cut to Whatever size and shape is required.

However, since artificial cotton, and for that" matter gauze or natural cotton, quickly becomesA permeated by drainage or wet-bandage liquid when usedas a surgical bandage ller, very frei' quent vbandage changes are necessary to keepl contact linens from being soiled-that is, unless a rubberized material outer wrapping is disposed about the outer filler-retaining gauze wrapping of the bandage.

v The use of an outer Wrapping of rubberized material makes a bandage (espej cially of the wet dressing type) unduly heavy,

and furthermore, especially in hemorrhage cases (the rubberized covering not being transparent) the surgeon or nurse has to frequently remove such rubberized material covering to determine' how much hemorrhaging is going on or has taken place.

the necessity of using an outer wrapping of rub-, .l

berized material or the like, the nature of the.:I

Waterproofing of my bandage being such that theA nurse or attending surgeon can observe the progress of the hemorrhage without disturbing the bandage.

Additionally, the invention contemplates the moistureproong of a' bandage by simple vand novel method steps without necessitatingfthe use of scarce materials and without requiring any special experience on the part of the bandage maker. F

Still further, it is an aim ofthe invention to produce a transparently waterproofed bandage which will compare favorably as to flexibility with an unwaterproofed bandage, will be absolutely sterile, and will not produce in the nished bandage an objectionable odor.

Additionally, the use generally of bandages according to my invention will reduce laundry bills by protecting contact linens from drainage.`

Many other advantages will be obvious or will be pointed out in the detailed description to follow dealing with certain examples of my improved bandage and method of making the same.

vIn accordance with the requirements of thepatent statutes, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings certain presently preferred examples of my inventive concept vand method of producing the same. Howeveigit is to be understood that the invention is susceptible of other mechanical or commercial expression within the scope of the subjoined claims.

In the drawings, wherein the same reference characters have been used to designate the same parts wherever they appear in the several views- Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a pad which may be composed of multiple or stacked plies of artificial cotton or the like and' upon which has been inverted, moisture-proofing side down, the sheet A, there being illustrated a hot iron which is used to iron the moisture-proofing onto the top surface of the top ply of the subjacent pad;

Fig. 2 illustrates the second step in the waterproofing cr moisture-proofing process, namely, the step of removing the moisture-proofing applicator sheet after the moisture-proofing composition has been ironed onto the top surface of the top ply of the pad;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a diaper cut from the pad illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 but with the moisture-proofed ply disposed downwardly instead of upwardly as in Figs. 1 and 2; a gauze covering or envelope having been applied to the diaper as indicated; and

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view, partly broken and drawn to enlarged scale, taken on the line 4--4 of the diaper of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters and dealing rst with the method of moisture-proofing a bandage or pad, the letterA inv Fig. 1 indicates a sheet of paper which is substantially non-porous. It may be the kind of glossy paper that drug stores employ for wrapping packages and which is also employed to line shelves. Painted onto the lower surface of the sheet of paper A is a coating of waterproofing which preferably comprises four parts wax (or paraffin) and one part mineral oil. The mineral oil serves as a vehicle for `the wax and the mixture will preferably be hot when painted onto the paper A.

It should be noted here that the lm of waterproofing I2 can be applied to the paper A in other Ways than by painting it onto the same. For that Y matter, the paper A may be a long sheet and the moisture-proofing I2 may be applied thereto" by rollers or the like as the sheet Ofpaper A is passed therebetween. Or, the moisture-proong composition could be sprayed onto the paper A.

After the moisture-proofing I2 has been painted'or-,otherwise applied to the paperA the sameisinverted, coating side I2 down, onto the Fig. 2.

iron, sofas4 to transfer the moisture-proof coating to the topsurface of the top ply IIa of the artificial, cotton sheet-provided pad. The ironingroperation.. causes,;the.transfer or impregnation-.of .the :moisture-proongl I2 into the top surface of the top ply I Ia of the pad, as indicated, to seal the :pores thereof. It will be understood, of course, that in lieu of ironing as Vabove eX- plained, the -coated paper and pad 9 can be passed between heated rolls such as are used for ironing in laundries.

After a certain period of ironing, the length of-whichiwill be determined by experience, the paper A is stripped off of the pad 8 asindicated in Fig. 2. At this point it should be noted that the paper-A-will preferably be slightly wider yor longerthan the pad so that the free edge of thev paper can be readily grasped by the fingers and rolled-back as indicated in Fig. 2.

When the paper A has been removed, it will be found that a thin, even film of moistureproofing I2'will have been compressed into the outer surface of the top ply Ila of artificial cotton and Vif the coating I 2 is fairly thick there will Y be some penetration through said top ply IIa to the next inner ply II of the same. However, the thickness of the Waterproofing film I2 with which the 'top ply IIa of the pad is impregnated is not sogreat as to prevent hemorrhage drainage to be'observed from withoutthe pad when same is formed into a bandage or other dressing and applied to a wound or the like. v

Waterproofed pads or bandages in diaper form may readily be produced from an artificial cotton pad, waterproofed as above described, andsuch a diaper IIl is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. There the waterproofed pad B of Figs. l and 2 has been inverted to dispose the moisture-proofed surface Ila;v I2 downwardly (seeFig. 4)'and the pad S now providing the base of 4the d'aper Iii has been incorporated in a gauze covering I3. Infthis instance it willgbe noted that there is a layerrof natural cotton I4 disposed onntop of the pliersV vention it will be noted that leg. openings I5' have gbeen,cut in each side toprovide front and rear tranSl/ersepanels ia, i512, respectively. The rear panel I lib has projecting from-*opposite :sides i the tabs IS having upwardly disposed adhesivecarrylng surfaces which are preferably originally covered by gauge pieces l'I.

When the diaper is applied to an infant lying on the tabbed rear panel IOb, the untabbed front panel lila is lifted upwardly to cover the lower frontal torso portion of the infant. Then the tab coverings I? of rear panel Ib are removed and the adhesive tabs I6 secured to the outer surface of the front panel Illa so as tomain-tain the diaper Ii'on the infant.

Referring to the surgical bandage phase of the invention, the pad 9 of Figs. 1 and 2 may be considered to be the bandage ller and, if the pad 9 is of diaper size as indicated in the drawings,

it may'- be cut to provide a plurality of bandage fillers, assumingthat fillers are desired of comparatively small size. The cutting of the pad 9 i maybe,accomplished either before or after the application of the waterproofing I2. The Waterproofing I 2, is non-tacky at roomy-,temperatures and the bandage ller pads, after having` been cut L from the pad 9, may be stacked-one 4 upon, the.;

other and tied up Yin bundles until they are., used.A

While I have referred herein to apad Sifcom-g` prised of stacked sheets of articial cotton,- it is;r

to be understood that other fibrous material vmay be used for the pads, including gauze which isthe;

material most commonly used Yat present.

rThe proportion of wax in the moisture-proof. ing composition can be varied, and it vwill-.fre-

quently be desirable to reduce the amount of wax relative to the oil so asto achieve greater exi-gbility in the bandage filler or diaper atthe-,eX-g.

terior surface of same.

As intimated earlier herein, the'use;0f IIl5r. y waterproof bandage is a great time saver, as; bandage changes need be made with-rnucl.1j le ssA frequency than otherwise. Also, the moistureproofing of the bandage protects contact'linens; sheets, pillow cases, etc., thus greatly reducing; laundry volumeV which is. always a,problem-invv hospitals.`

claim is: -Y

l. In a bandagev orsthe like,a substantiallydiat, highly exible and compressible pad comprising drainage to be viewed therethrough.Y

2. A diaper -comprising a substantiallyflat.` highlyvflexible and compressible pad-comprising.' a stack of thin, lsubstantially uniform,y tear.` resistant brous sheets of high moisture-absorbing,V

capacity,.the outer sheet of the outer yside'` of the pad including a thin ilm of flexible-when-,drymoisture-proong composition whereby to mois ture-proof' said outer4 surface of said pad while leaving the pad substantially as flexible at said surface as at other points, a cotton batting-likelayer disposed upon the unmoisture-proofed topV cf said pad, a gauze outer covering for said pad andy having lmarginal"Y portions -lappe'd over -the COttOnII-lbatting-like layer,` and 'said gauze .outerf covering of one of said panels havingvsidewardly :projecting adhesive tabs adapted-forvengagement Having -thus-y described Ymy yirlvenlon..what I;

6 with the gauze covering of the front panel to UNITED STATES PATENTS retain the diaper in place about the lower torso Number Name Date f the infant" 199.16606 Thomas Apr. 19, 1927 EDNA L. DUB. 1,622,948 Johnson Mar. 29, 1927 5 1,736,421 Bummann Dec. so, 1936 1,989,632 Calvert Jan. 29, 1935 REFERENCES CITED 2,356,354 Rodman Aug. 22, 1944 2 365 032 Wilkinson Dec 12 1944 11 f J l l The fo owmg re erences are of record in the 2,371,001 Stone nuan- Mar. 6, 1945 me f this patent 1 2,473,662 Kennedy June 14, 1949 

